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Hunting season is almost here in Montana and Schnee’s & Schnee’s Powder Horn Outfitters have everything that you need to prepare for success this season. Visit us online or stop by our Bozeman retail stores to get setup with the finest in outdoor footwear, clothing, gear and accessories.

Beginning Thursday August 25th, Schnee’s Powder Horn Outfitters in historic downtown Bozeman will be kicking off a 4-Day Pre-Hunting Season Event. The excitement starts Thursday night with a fun filled evening of elk calling with World Champion elk caller and TV Personality Chad Schearer. Chad will be passing along his knowledge and time-honed skills in-store from 6:30-8 PM for this family friendly event. Chad will be sharing tips and fist hand experience to help make calling a more successful part of your hunt, you do not want to miss this event! During this event Schnee’s will be offering some exclusive in-store specials on all of their premium outdoor footwear with plenty of Schnee’s expert boot-fitters on hand to answer questions and properly fit you into your next hunting boot!

Chad Schearer with a Montana Mule Deer

Aside from being a licensed Montana Outfitter & Guide, multi-award winning elk caller and hosting his popular television show Shoot Straight with Chad Schearerwith his family on The Sportsman’s Channel, Chad is also a highly sought after outdoor speaker and lecturer. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to learn from the best during this exclusive workshop brought to you by Chad Schearer and Schnee’s.

On Friday and Saturday, Sitka Gear Tech Rep Ron Thomas will be in-store to answer questions and offer his extensive hunting clothing product knowledge. Sitka Gear is the leading innovator in technical outdoor hunting apparel and gear and all of their fine products are available in-store and online at www.schnees.com. Saturday will also bring local Bozemanite Mark Matheny (founder of UDAP) to the Powder Horn to talk with customers about Bear Safety and answer questions about UDAP’s full-line of Pepper Power defense sprays.

Don’t miss this exciting 4-day event! Stop by and visit us at the Powder Horn for exclusive in-store specials, prize drawings and more! We hope to see you there!

We have received some great photo submissions for our “Replace My Boots!” contest over the last couple of weeks, thank you to everyone that participated! The judges have reached a verdict and the winner is Dean Hiatt! We’re not quite sure if Dean was TRYING to turn his high-top boots into a low-cut shoe or if he just wanted a little more ventilation, but these boots have clearly seen better days!

Does this model come with a sunroof?

Thank you for your photo Dean, you have won the boot of your choice from our Schnee’s Pac Boot or Mountain Boot Collection! Please contact Rob at rob@schnees.com or at 1-800-922-1562 (M-F, 8am-5pm) to claim your boots! Thanks again to everyone that participated and stay tuned for another Boot Giveaway in a couple of weeks!

You know that one pair of boots that you keep tucked away in your closet or garage, the pair that you keep telling self you will get “one more season” out of? We’ve all seen them, dried out and cracked leather, duct tape holding the toe to the sole, surgeon knot holding together the laces where they snapped due to rubbing from the broken lace hook, you know the boots we are talking about!

We want to see pictures of your worn out, trail beaten and over worked boots! Whether it’s your favorite old pair of hunting boots, summer backpackers or everyday work boots, we want to see the wear, tear, use and abuse that you put your footwear through! Send in or upload your photos starting now until July 31st to service@schnees.com , our Schnee’s Montana facebook or to our Schnee’s Twitter account for a chance to win a new pair of Schnee’s Brand Outdoor Boots (Schnee’s Classic Pac Boot Series or Montana Mountain Boot Series)!

Once all of the photos have been submitted, our highly trained footwear experts will act as judges and the winner will be announced via blog post on August 2nd! No purchase necessary! Stay in the loop with this contest and as well as other Schnee’s news by following us on Twitter and Facebook!

The Fine Print…

By submitting photo’s and or personal information to Schnee’s , you authorize Schnee’s Inc. to use said photos and information for all intended marketing purposes including but not limited to Facebook, email and web promotion. Schnee’s Privacy Policy can be viewed HERE. Please note that this promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

This great letter came to us from long time Schnee’s customer Larry R. in Nevada. Thanks Larry, it sounds like this was a pretty intense hunt! We were happy to hear that your Schnee’s boots were there to keep you going on this memorable hunt!

“To the good people at Schnee’s:

My son Brad and I were on a cow elk hunt in eastern Nevada. A freak snow storm hit the area, but the elk were there. After an ugly encounter with snow covered rocks, the four wheel drive on my expeditions failed.

The Schnee’s Boot Fitting Guide

By Rob Stiehl. Rob is the marketing director at Schnee’s and previously worked as an assistant retail manager & outdoor footwear buyer for Schnee’s. Rob is an avid outdoorsman in his free time.

For many people, the process of researching and selecting a new pair of technical footwear can seem quite daunting. Whether you are looking for a pair of trail runners, a new light hiker, or a new mountain hunting boot, there are a few steps that can be taken to simplify this process and help to ensure that you are purchasing the right piece of footwear to make your outdoor adventures more enjoyable.

Step 1 – Pick your activity

The first step of the selection process is to decide what activity you will primarily use the footwear for and then focusing your attention on that category when trying different models. Common categories for technical footwear may include:

Although a sturdy trail-running shoe will often be supportive enough to handle some light hiking on the side, this is not what the shoe is designed for and may result in the shoe wearing out more quickly than normal. Similarly, a burly all-leather backpacking boot can be extremely durable and amazingly supportive when carrying heavy loads, but the increased weight and medium to low flexibility associated with these boots can make them slightly less comfortable on light trails or when you are trying to cover ground at a faster pace.

Step 2 – Measure for size

Once you have decided on which category of footwear you are primarily interested in, the fitting process can begin. This is the most important step when buying technical footwear, and should be performed by someone well trained in boot fitting. Ideally, you want to have both feet measured and evaluated on a Brannock Device. However, Schnee’s Customer Service boot specialists can help you with the process online or over the phone at 1-800-922-1562. Most people have slight variances in the length, width, or shape of their feet, and this is important information for both you and the boot fitter to know to achieve the best possible fit. Also, be sure to have your foot measured with a quality performance sock in the proper weight or thickness that you would normally wear with the footwear you have chosen.

Step 3 – Not too tight!

When fitting technical footwear, one of the most important things to consider is getting the proper length inside the shoe or boot. Roughly an extra half-inch of space is crucial in order to protect your feet from bruising and blistering, and to accommodate any swelling that may take place.

To check the length in footwear with a hard toe such as hiking boots, stand in the unlaced boot and gently tap your foot towards the front until your longest toe is just touching the front of the boot. You should now be able to easily fit your index finger directly behind your heel in the boot. This ensures that you have a “finger’s width” in the front of the boot to protect your toes while descending and this will also reduce pressure and friction on the heel when ascending.

As for the fit in the rest of the boot, you should be looking for a snug (not tight!) and secure fit from the heel of foot to the ball of the foot, and a slightly roomier fit in the toe box that will provide some wiggle room for your toes.

Step 4 – Test driving the boot

Now you can lace up the boots firmly and evenly, and test them on an incline board or ramp if one is available. If an incline board is not available, it is recommended that you wear the footwear on the carpet at home for a couple hours in the evening before wearing them outside. This will help to identify any tight spots or pressure points that should be addressed before taking your new investment to the trailhead.

A Word about Socks

Selecting the right sock for an activity can be about as complicated as finding the right footwear. Socks can be made from natural fibers such as wool or silk, or from synthetic materials such as acrylic or nylon blends. Socks also come in an array of thicknesses from ultra light to extremely heavy to accommodate different activities and climates.

Modern wool socks (such as Merino Wool SmartWool socks) are more comfortable than the wool socks of the past. Today, most wool socks are designed to be itch-free and washing machine safe. Unlike cotton or some synthetic materials, wool is extremely efficient at pulling moisture away from the foot while retaining its insulating properties despite being wet or dry. Wool works well in Gore-Tex® lined footwear and solid leather footwear because of wool’s ability to wick moisture at a slightly slower rate than synthetic materials, resulting in less moisture buildup inside of your footwear. One downside to wool socks is that it takes a bit longer for them to dry when compared to wet synthetic materials—frustrating when washing your socks in a backcountry stream or lake.

Synthetic socks are typically constructed from materials such as polyester, nylon, or acrylics that are very hydrophobic. These materials repel or “wick” moisture away from the foot at a very high rate, and absorb very little residual moisture from the foot. Synthetic socks are best suited for high activity use (i.e. trail running) and should be used with highly breathable footwear that will allow moisture to evaporate quickly. If you prefer using synthetic socks and are looking for one to use with Gore-Tex® or all-leather boots, try to find a sock that is a synthetic/wool blend such as the Thorlo Mountain Climbing Sock designed to move moisture at a slower rate in order to maximize the efficiency of the Gore-Tex® boot liner.

Performance Footbeds

Aftermarket footbeds are an excellent addition to any type of footwear. Often referred to as “insoles”, performance footbeds can be used to increase the support or cushion of a shoe, and can greatly improve the fit of most shoes and boots. Many footwear companies utilize inexpensive, generic footbeds that are often made from lightweight EVA foam that will compress and wear out relatively quickly. Performance footbeds are typically constructed of a dense synthetic foam top layer that is reinforced through the arch with a sturdy nylon or plastic frame for increased support and durability.

Superfeet® is a premium manufacturer of aftermarket performance footbeds. Superfeet® offers a range of models that will add support and improve the fit of your footwear whether it’s a western boot, a hiking boot, or a ski boot. For most outdoor footwear applications, you will first need to remove the stock footbed from your footwear. Once you have removed the existing footbed, you can now use it as a template to trim your replacement footbed to fit your new footwear.

Caring for your Purchase

Now that you have found the perfect pair of boots or shoes and have been properly fit, you will want to take a few steps to protect your new purchase for trail ahead. In order to maximize the life of your new footwear, proper (and regular) cleaning and conditioning is a must.

Under normal wear, boots will collect dirt, grit and mud along seams and folds of the tongue as well as inside the boot. Boots do not necessarily need to be cleaned or conditioned after every hike (unless they become extremely muddy or wet), but removing excess dirt and mud will vastly improve the life of the leather and stitching.

To clean your footwear, start with an approved footwear cleaner or a small dish of warm water with a few drops of regular dish soap and a small soft bristle brush (old potato brushes or toothbrushes work great). Remove as much excess mud or buildup on the boots before cleaning the boots over a sink. Remove the laces and footbed from the boots and begin to gently scrub your footwear with a brush and cleaner paying special attention to seams and the tongue folds. It is also fine to partially fill the inside of the boot with water and gently swash around to remove any interior grit.

Once you footwear is clean, it is important to allow the boots to dry naturally at room temperature or with an electric boot dryer (do not place wet footwear in direct sunlight or in front of a stove or heater to dry!). After the boots have had a chance to fully dry, you will want to apply the appropriate conditioner/waterproofing to your footwear. Following these steps will ensure that you get the maximum life expectancy out of your new footwear!

With only ten shopping days left, why spend your time navigating crammed parking lots and busy malls when you shop from the convenience of your home at www.schnees.com! Schnee’s has a great assortment of gifts for everyone on your list, even those that are hard to shop for!

Not sure what to get for Dad this year? How about Schnee’s 5-Pocket Bison Wallet? Schnee’s wallets are crafted from our exclusive, genuine American Bison leather and are available in 3 different sizes! Another great gift Dad would surely enjoy would be the Schnee’s Big Horn Flannel™ shirt. This classic flannel is crafted from 5oz Portuguese Flannel for an incredible fit and feel and is available in three great colors.

Schnee's Bighorn Flanner

Still looking for that special gift for the impossible to shop for person on your list? Give the gift that always fits with a Schnee’s Gift Card! Schnee’s Gift Cards are available in any amount and never expire! Our Gift Cards can be used online, by phone or in any of our 3 retail stores in Bozeman, MT!

Schnee's Gift Card

If you have questions about any of our products or you would just like more information, give our expert Customer Service staff a call toll-free at 1-800-922-1562, we’d be happy to assist you! Happy Holidays from all of us at Schnee’s~

With the General Big Game season underway here in Montana and much of the west, thousands of residents and non-residents are heading into the mountains in hopes of filling a tag or two. Whether you plan on heading out into the mountains on your own or with the service of a qualified outfitter, be sure to visit Schnee’s for all of the backcountry essentials before your next hunt!

Traversing the Rockies in search of big game requires footwear that will provide the proper amount of support, traction and protection to tackle the rugged terrain found across the western US. This may include side-hilling on slippery shale, crossing mountain streams or post-holing through thigh deep snow to get to where your quarry is. Schnee’s Hunter II series of boots have been the go-to choice of boots for outfitters, guides and sportsmen taking to the mountains every fall for over 23 years. Designed for comfort and built to last, the Hunter II is available in 10”, 13” and 16” heights and features Schnee’s exclusive Advantage™ rubber outsole for maximum traction in any condition.

Schnee's Hunter II

During your hunt, stay comfortable whether you are in the saddle, around camp or on the mountain with the Schnee’s Rifleman’s Shirt™. Introduced into the Schnee’s line last Fall, the Rifleman’s Shirt™ has quickly become a favorite among western sportsmen. Combining the fit, feel and warmth of fine wool with the wicking and drying properties of a synthetic, the Rifleman’s Shirt is sure to become your favorite. Available in 4 heathered colors and beautifully trimmed with a genuine leather collar stand and leather button holes on the front pockets, the Rifleman’s Shirt™ also features a generous bi-swing back for a comfortable range of motion.

Before you set out on your next hunting hunting adventure, let the experts at Schnee’s help you prepare for the hunt of a lifetime. All of these great products can be found by visiting our retail stores in historic downtown Bozeman or online at www.schnees.com.